To think I can feel my gallbladder get 'stuck' under my ribs?

[gindrinkingmarypoppins]

GP thinks I am insane. But I can push it out from under my ribcage I am sure. Had an ultrasound and forgot to ask the sonographer if it was a possibility, but I'm now kicking myself because the GP was so sure I am mad.
Ultrasound showed gallbladder is inflamed and I have multiple stones.
Anybody know if that can even be a thing? Google has let me down.

Oh and be aware that after the op , stones can be partially passed, but can lurk... agony. I ended up being given pethedine to pass the final ones.

Ultrasound showed gallbladder is inflamed and I have multiple stones.

What's the plan? Any pain? I hope you're taking antibiotics and have a surgery date. Gallbladder is really rather small (my surgeon showed me a pic from the camera) and sits under the liver, which by comparison is a brute of an organ. Watch out for pancreatitis - if you get pain in your back, like horrific searing pain, around/above right kidney get to A&E/ring 999. I'm somewhat an expert on gallbladder and related issues this past 18 months (recurrent biliary colic, bile sludge, pancreatitis, common bile duct distension, and episodes of pain just like gallstones. Worst pain I've ever had! Seems to like me too...).

Try googling "floating rib" I don't know if an inflamed gallbladder can cause this. My floating rib was caused by pregnancy and gives me a " stuck under the ribs" feeling.

Does it happen when you bend forwards, such as tying your shoes?

I get a distinct pain and the sensation that something has flipped or got stuck in my ribs. It's very sharply painful and I feel something soft at my end, as poking through.

I have to take a moment to let it pass. Acute pain last about 30s and a duller pain lasts a few minutes.

No idea what it is. Had it since pregnancy but my sister (who has never been pregnant) knows exactly the feeling in talking about.

NutellaFitzgerald that is exactly what I have. Used to only happen when I put my shoes on, but since pregnancy it has become more frequent and can happen if I lean forward sometimes too.

If it's not gallbladder then what the hell is it?!

I'm seeing the GP later this week re scan results of gallbladder, hoping he will recommend surgery and get it sorted.

That interesting Steve (sorry to hijack OP) - I had my gallbladder out 1 year ago (today, actually), and last night I had an episode of a crampy, stabbing like pain in predominantly my right side (with the occasional gripe on the left). Well above the kidney and almost at bra strap level, coming around my side from back to front. A big wave felt like it went right across my back, and no movement altered it.

Lasted 8 hours, pain about 6/10, didn't take anything but fell and stayed asleep and it had vanished this morning. No nausea or fever at all...

Seriously, guys, like I said upthread, this really sounds like hiatus hernia. Like an extreme muscle spasm just under the RH side of the rib cage, often triggered by bending forwards/down and can be eased by leaning back and letting the upper abdoman relax and stretch. Mine started in pregnancy too. It's caused by a pouch of stomach slipping through the diaphragm. There are exercises you can do to reduce the slippage and dietary changes can help too. I could feel something soft under my ribcage too and thought I had an aortic aneurysm that was about to explode at first (a little knowledge...etc) but it hardly bothers me at all anymore.

DD1 just had her gallbladder out. In retrospect her whole abdomen between her ribs and tummy button were inflamed for about 3-6 months before it finally developed into liver inflammation and pancreatitis. It is not gallstones in the gallbladder which cause the problem. It is when they travel up the bile duct and cause back flow to the liver and pancreas.

Yes yes to hernia! I’ve been diagnosed with the same. Happened after pregnancy with my first and always when bending over to tie shoes etc. Get a very sharp pain and have to stand and stretch until something seems to pop back underneath. Left side only.
There are heaps of threads on the subject and lots of us with the same symptoms

@RadioDorothy Google choledocholithiasis. This sludge is very thick and adept at blocking the remains of the cystic duct (leads from common bile duct to gallbladder), pancreatic duct (CBD-Pancreas). The common bile duct can suffer distension following gallbladder removal, widening (more sludge), and irritating the walls. This is why, in a nutshell, people can experience "gallbladder problems" without a gallbladder; and has become far more common since the switch to laparoscopy for removal. You should google Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome too. This shit can be lifelong, I have 2-3 attacks per week, some lasting 30 mins, my longest is 5 days of unrelenting horrific pain. A pain that isn't touched by oxycodone, tramadol, morphine, naproxen. Yeh, pretty much the only way of getting appropriate pain relief is A&E for their IV goodies.

Sounds horrific, I'm so sorry. You'd think that was surgically fixable.

I have this exact thing.
After pregnancy number 2, but maybe a year after.
If I strain to poo, or bend over to do my laces something pops out from under my right rib. It has me screaming in agony until I stand up and it slips back into place.
I don’t know if it’s hernia, floating rib or gall bladder but it’s horrible.
My ribs on that side have been a bit sore for a few weeks now. Nothing major, just feels like something lodged under them.

That sounds like a hernia, straining wouldn't irritate gallbladder although bending would if gb had inflammation. Normally, but not always, you'd get one or more of fever, jaundice, nausea, vomiting. I say normally but I had none.

I just had a massive cyst removed from my liver, same symptoms as you and I went through the it's my gallbladder stage! Make them give you a ct or mri if you are in lots of pain.

Nutella - exactly. It happens when I bend over. Not particularly painful, but I can feel something unwinding or unfurling back into the space it belongs in , if that makes sense.

Thanks all. Had my review at GP today. He is referring me to the surgeons for likely removal of gallbladder.

He said it's definitely not a hernia. Time will tell I guess!

You need help

I get a distinct pain and the sensation that something has flipped or got stuck in my ribs. It's very sharply painful and I feel something soft at my end, as poking through.

I get similar but left side. Currently undergoing tests. So far they think its a fatty deposit sitting by diaphragm

So need the scan show there was a major problem with the gallbladder?

As they dont just routinely take them out

The scan showed the gallbladder itself is inflamed and the wall of the gallbladder is thickened, with multiple stones. The GP has referred me to the surgeons to decide on removal or not. He did say they are more reluctant to remove them now than they used to be.

That sounds awful, OP, no wonder you're in pain. I hope he gave you some of the good drugs!

Tbh I've found the opposite, surgeons want gallbladders out if possible as ones with stones and causing bother can end up making far worse issues later on. My surgeon took one look at the scan and despite only a couple of bad colic attacks declared it was coming out before it caused major problems.

I am also having my gallbladder out soon, just waiting for the surgery date. I have also only had a couple of 'attacks' and when I went for my pre op assessment this week I asked if it had to come out. The answer was yes as it's likely to cause bother later on.

I agree with MissMarple, an infected gallbladder can burst and bile pus being thrown around your innards isn't good.

You'll deffo be on antibiotics, as unless it's life-and-death they are extremely reticent to remove. You'll then be listed, the guideline is 4-6 weeks. However (and this is what I did) you can explore staying in on IV antibiotics and having the gallbladder removed in a few days. IMO, I'd stay in, but it's pretty much consultant/hospital specific.

A major thing lots are unaware of - there's something called Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome. Basically, you continue to have gallstone attacks despite their isn't one. I'm suffering with it for 18 months now and it's horrific. 2-3 attacks a week from 30 minutes to 4 days. Constant agonising pain. On bad ones I have to go in for IV morphine/fentanyl. It's believed the common bile duct (connects to liver, gallbladder, pancreas and small intestine) becomes irritated, and bile sludge (choledocholithiasis) trickling constantly causes the attacks. The major thing is that if you have laparoscopic surgery the chance of contracting this is 10x higher than open surgery. I'd definitely be having an informed chat with your surgeon about it.

You'll be happy when you come round from the op (and high on opiates) that the pains settled. Hope you get sorted soon.

My last post on Tuesday details everything also.